Oh, Relax

In Comforting Hues Of Oatmeal Or Eggshell, After-work Fashions For Spring Are Easy On The Eyes.

April 14, 1993|By Text by Leah Eskin.

Michael Karpic, head buyer at Bigsby & Kruthers puts it this way: "This season, nothing screams at you-which is nice."

Whether it's the hushed colors, the relaxed (almost slouchy) silhouettes or the comfortable fabrics, men's after-work fashions take it real easy this spring and summer.

Men will be venturing into the warm nights ahead dressed in oatmeal. Also eggshell, white, ecru, khaki, tan and taupe. In other words, breezy beach hues. Embroidered details and a wide assortment of vests sporting ethnic colorations and patterns add a sense of distant ports to the look and a feeling of pure relaxation.

The cut is relaxed, too-gone are the heavily padded shoulders, the contoured jackets and shirts. Loose is where it's at-drawstrings show up on pants, shirts go long and even untucked.

Saeed is showing jackets that are "very loose, very, very relaxed, without much padding or structure. "They're like big cardigans but in fabric."

Comforting fabric, that is. Power-dressing men are taking it easy in washed silks, linen, linen blends, viscose and cotton.

And they're layering one piece atop another. According to Tom Julian, fashion director of the New York-based Men's Fashion Association, layering adds sophistication to the soft spring silhouette, especially when pulled together with the ever-important vest. Pile on a T-shirt, banded-collar shirt, vest and oversize shirt/jacket.

Saeed plans to spend his spring evenings in an off-white mock-turtle tee, an off-white vest and a linen blend four-button jacket and pants in sand, with heavy-bottomed, light-colored lace-ups. He explains: "I like to look very comfortable and very dressy in clothes that are very relaxed."